Transcription
We share on the consequences of betrayal, the consequences of betrayal. I will take our test from Matthew chapter 26, verses 14-16. Contemporary English version. It says, Judas Iscariot was one of the 12 disciples, or disciples. Here, he went to the chief priests and asked, "How much will you give me if I help you arrest Jesus?" They paid Judas 30 silver coins, and from then on, he started looking for a good chance to betray Jesus.
Betrayal is as old as the history of humanity. There are things you can do to people simply because they have so much trust in you. If not for that trust that that man has in you, you will never be able to do, have access, opportunity to cause that kind of damage. The reason you know so much about a particular person is because the person has trust in you. So, the trust the person has in you is what gives you access to know what you know that other people do not know. You must choose your friends wisely. Choose your friends wisely.
Number two, people change. The heart of people, the mind of people towards you can change from love and goodwill to hate and bitterness. And unfortunately, because of something that still holds the two of you together, it could be marriage. It could be marriage. Perhaps the two of you are occupying a position, and that position compels the two of you to be together. So, even though the state of the heart has moved from positive to negative towards you from this other party, you are still together. You must know when to change someone in your inner cycle. You must know when to change someone that is your confidant, someone that is your best friend. You must know when to change them, or else you may change from a friend to become a victim in the hands of that person.
Also, you need to pray consistently for God to give you a discerning spirit, a discerning spirit to know, as at today, who truly wishes you well. There are those who may have had a good heart and mind towards you in the past, but unknown to you, that has changed. That has changed due to different issues and reasons. Do you know, for instance, that just doing someone else a big favor can make someone else that is close to you have a negative mind towards you? And that favor you have done is 100% at under your control. It is you have not done that favor with something that both of you own, but unknown to you, someone is carrying a heart of bitterness and hate now towards you, even though the person still has close access to you.
Another thing we learn from this story is that we should avoid hasty conclusions about people's level of humility and loyalty. Those two things, avoid hasty conclusions about people's level of humility or loyalty. A lot of people are looking for people they can rise on their shoulder. Nothing is wrong with that, but a lot of people with that desire do not have any sense of loyalty. Sometimes you mistake attachment for loyalty. Someone could be attached to you, the person is not necessarily loyal to you. You are, you are useful to them, you are useful to him, you are useful to her, and that's the basis for the attachment. But deep down in the heart of such persons, they are not loyal to you. And how would you know? The day they have another option outside you, that is the day you will know that your perceived loyalty, their perceived loyalty was never really there. The day they have another opportunity is a time you would finally and surprisingly realize that that loyalty was never, never there.
This person was never truly humble. Another lesson we pick from the story is that everyone of us, we should beware of pretenders and insincere people. Beware of pretenders and insincere people. There are so many in this present time. Many people pretend and give a false impression. They give a false impression in order to obtain something they desperately desire. Many people pretend and give a false impression in order to obtain or achieve something that they desperately desire, and this is later exposed with time. It's exposed with time.
Many people pretend to love someone they don't truly love. Some of us, for instance, you may have had someone around you who had a physical disability, and that person was however from a wealthy family, wealthy parents, and the parents loved him so much, loved her so much. And it's so clear that whoever marries this, this young man or young woman will be pampered consistently by the parents and the family of that person. So, we have seen situations where certain people with a gold digger mind and heart will target that kind of person. And what is the attraction? It has nothing to do with the guy or the lady. The reason now they will begin to focus on this target for marriage is because of the benefits they have calculated will come from the wealthy parents or the wealthy family that this person comes from. So, how would they achieve it? They have to pretend to love her, pretend to love him.
Years back, the realm of scam going on, unfortunately, from this part of the world was based on many things, but it wasn't so much about, it didn't initially had nothing to do with love scams. But eventually, you know, they have to look for new, new grounds to catch victims. So, eventually, they also saw that one way they can drain victims of their wealth is through love scams, and they have been using this massively today. So, in the process, they pretend to love a woman that they don't love at all. They pretend to love a man they don't love at all. And when this is the case, it's very obvious you are being used to achieve some goal or agenda, and it's going to be so easy for them now to discard you or displace you once the opportunity comes. I pray you will never be a victim. Your loved ones will never be a victim. The widows amongst us will never be a victim. The single mothers amongst us will never be a victim. The wealthy ones amongst us will never be a victim. But this is a reality of what is going on.
And in those days, we used to, we are talking about gold diggers, is more about women, especially gold digging in relationships. It used to be about women targeting a well-to-do man or a man from a wealthy background. But now, we can't even say it is balanced. Now, we are not even sure now that maybe the men are even a higher percentage. That men now are going into relationships simply because of what they stand to gain materially or financially. And to achieve that, they pretend to love the person being targeted. And what we follow is that people also will pretend to like certain beliefs that they don't really like. You want to marry a very firebrand Christian, so the only way to give that person confidence to marry you is to pretend that you also highly value the beliefs of that person's faith. Because if the person knows you don't take scriptures seriously, you have no fear of God, you have no reverence for the word of God, the person won't marry you. So, you have to pretend and make him or her think that you are also a serious-minded Christian. So, some pretend to like certain beliefs, certain values, and character traits that they don't really like. Some pretend to accept certain terms and conditions that they don't truly agree with.
We need to look at the definition of two key words. One is the word traitor, and the word treachery. Who is a traitor? A traitor is someone who betrays his close associate, or someone that has so much trust and confidence in him. The negative actions of a traitor are qualified as betrayal. I want to warn you that there are people that betrayal is their lifestyle, and they enjoy doing it. And the only people they are scared of are people they know will come hard on them. Those are the only people they stay clear of. But with any other person, especially people that are maybe quick to forgive and people that are quick to overlook damages, they can even betray you many times.
The second word is word treachery. Treachery is an action in which someone betrays a person who trusts them. Can we mention that word, trust, loud this morning? Can you mention it? Two more times. A third time. It's key. Help me turn to your neighbor and say, "Neighbor, you are my sister in Christ. Can I trust you?" Treachery is a disloyal action against someone who trusts you. And life is a will involve you trusting people. Also, this journey of life will involve people trusting you with certain things. Do you know that it's not every time you will need collateral to get access to money? That a good name, a good reputation can make someone stand for you, and that sum of money will be given to you. But everything boils down to trust. It boils down to trust.
There are some people today when they offer you food or drink, you may not remember immediately to pray before you eat it. Trust. But why is it that if someone, a particular person gives you free food or drink, if at all you will even eat or drink it, you would have prayed about three, four different types of prayer. You are binding, you are losing, you are neutralizing poison, you are canceling every arrow, and then you, you, you end it in the name of Jesus. Then you now also end it with the blood of Jesus Christ over one plate. But when there is trust, you may even finish eating before you remember that you have not even, you didn't even pray. So, when you intentionally do something very mean, very unfair, or damaging to someone who trusts you, that is treachery. And I begin to run, I run faster for the sake of time.
And there's usually some common examples of betrayal. One is when you walk closely with someone in the open as his or a reliable associate, but secretly you are always slandering and speaking ill against him or her. Betrayal is breach of confidentiality. Breach of confidentiality, disclosing to other parties a secret or privileged information that you were meant to have kept to yourself. You are meant to have kept to yourself. Sometimes people are planning to do something, even something good, and they may whisper it to you. You are not supposed to mention it because they may end up not doing it for due to some overriding factors. If you had already mentioned it and it is not done, there could be issues. Confidentiality is very, very key. And when you breach confidentiality, you are betraying someone. And this includes information about the health of certain people. And it is not every prayer request that you should share with another person. For over 20 years, when I'm praying privately, I lock up my windows before I pray. I lock up my windows before I pray because you are praying for different people concerning very confidential things, and nobody is supposed to be listening to your message. Nobody is supposed to be listening to your prayer. Sorry. As you are praying, you'll be surprised that whatever you are saying on your knees in prayer, your next-door neighbor is hearing everything clearly. So, we need to please have this in mind. Let's be discreet. And there are people that cannot be discreet. Don't share confidential information with them. Praise ye the Lord.
And then also, when you help a third party to have access to copy or steal certain documents or information that you are privileged to have access to, you have just betrayed someone. And what does this tell us? Every secretary has to be conscious of loyalty, confidentiality, and betrayal. Every doctor, every nurse, every lawyer, bank custodian, account officer, domestic helps, drivers, personal assistants, you have to be very, very conscious of this virtue of confidentiality. And I try to round up on this point. Another one on this, which is a bit more common, and I continue to point this out, when you put your phone on speaker mode to the hearing of a third party around you while in a confidential discussion with someone else, without the knowledge or consent of that, that is betrayal. That is betrayal. So, if you are discussing with me and you want to put a call to someone in order for me to hear, let that person know. And you tell the person before you start discussing, "I am with Pastor Esosa here, and I just want to discuss one or two things to you." So, the moment the person hears, "I'm with Pastor Esosa," the person will be aware and will answer in a way that he'll be comfortable because he knows I'm listening to that conversation.
A time if it's far spent, and the trust of this message has more to do with even relationship. So, we look at betrayal in a relationship, and what does this imply? It's certainly not only about infidelity. It's not only about cheating. Betrayal in a relationship comes in many forms. For instance, breaking promises, breaking marriage vows, emotional cheating, emotional infidelity. And that is why many today cannot allow their spouses to have the password of their phones. Financial infidelity, lying or withholding information, disclosing personal information that has been shared in confidence. Another manner of betrayal in a relationship is when you no longer make that relationship a priority, especially marriage or your relationship with certain people that are supposed to be very, very close to you. All of these are types of relationship betrayal. And betrayal in such relationships means violating someone's trust and confidence. Because when people get into a relationship, a committed relationship, they agree upon a certain level of commitment, and the understanding is that the two parties are going to respect and live by those conditions as the relationship moves forward. They make agreements in good faith. So, when you breach intentionally this agreement, you are, you are betraying that person in the relationship.
And when betrayal happens in close relationships, it shakes the foundation of the relationship. It shakes the foundation of the relationship. Unfortunately, it affects other people. It affects other people. That is why Nigerians are not easily trusted anymore all over the world because of what some Nigerians have done to people that trusted them. So, as believers, we need to be very sensitive to this. And I've always mentioned some key jobs, key relationships, and positions that require complete loyalty. So, this means that we should actually teach loyalty to certain people when they take up certain jobs. Who are these people?
One, people that have free access to your food, your drink, your home, your office, your bedroom, your money, your valuables, your vital documents, people that have free access to your medical records, your clinical tests, your confidential files.
Two, people that are left alone to do something privately to another person. For instance, nannies are left alone in their employer's private residence. So, when people leave you alone in the house, leave you a room in the room or the office, it requires a lot of loyalty from you. Secretaries are usually left alone in their boss's office. So, anyone with a bad mind can do so many things there, both from the spiritual realm to the physical and surveillance realm.
Three, husbands and wives. Husbands should be loyal to their wives. A husband that is having sexual intimacy with another woman apart from his wife is betraying his wife. A wife that is doing the same with another man outside her husband is betraying her husband. This rule cannot apply only to the wives.
Four, children. Children should be loyal to their parents.
Five, parents. Parents also should be loyal to their children.
Six, personal or family doctor. You are a personal doctor to someone. You're a family doctor to someone. You owe that person a high level of confidentiality.
Seven, hospital and clinic staff. People are coming for blood tests, people are coming for different kinds of tests. You are not supposed to show that result to any other party outside the patient or the doctor in charge.
Eight, cooks. One of the jobs that requires loyalty is the job of a cook, the job of a chef. Otherwise, the day your employer provokes you, you can put something in his food.
Nine, nannies, home helps, and caregivers. Nannies, home helps, and caregivers.
Ten, personal or family drivers. That position, the job of a driver is a position of trust. It is a position of trust.
Eleven, security aids and bodyguards. Anyone that is going to take up this assignment, the moment you agree, you have to be loyal to the person you are supposed to be protecting.
Twelve, your closest friends, your best friend.
Thirteen, confidants, counselors that manage very sensitive and confidential issues. That is why marriage counselors are trained either in a church or professional circle to be very confidential. And even when you make references, because you would have to make references, you are doing some public speaking, you are even talking to other couples or singles, you have to do it in wisdom, say it in wisdom, in a way that they will not detect. Nobody will be able to deduce the particular person you are making reference to.
Fourteen, personal or family lawyers. Be careful about those you choose. We have seen where lawyers connived with the spouse of a dead person to change the will.
Fifteen, the private or personal secretary. And for some positions, it is even more sensitive, like the secretary of a judge. The secretary of a judge, before the judgment is announced, the secretary already knows how the direction of the judgment.
Sixteen, personal deliverance ministers. Personal deliverance ministers.
And number seventeen, someone who is personally chosen or appointed by a leader into the close position of a deputy, vice, or assistant. When that leader makes a choice based on trust, based on perceived loyalty, and any other person could have been chosen, but you are the one that is chosen, you have to respect that fact as you go forward because someone else could have been chosen just like you. It was not an election. So, anytime you enjoy that privilege of being chosen without an election, you need to recognize that there will be need for loyalty to the person that rather than choose any other person. Focus why you in particular. And I can tell you this, that the lack of trust in certain other options is what made that person choose you.
Eighteen, are people who have access to your personal effects. Things like people like your barber, hairdresser, massage therapist.
Nineteen, your personal account officer.
And then lastly, number twenty, church members, workers, and ministers to their pastor.
In Isaiah chapter 3, verses 10-11, Easy to Read Version, it says, "Tell the good people who do what is right that good things will happen to them." So, turn to someone by your right or the left right now and say, "Brethren, good things will happen to you. Before the end of this year, you will experience good news." Then listen. Then in the same verse, you can see it on the screen. It says, "They will receive a reward for what they do." So, continue to do those good things. Then verse 11, he said, "But it will be very bad for wicked people because they, they too will get what they deserve. They will get what they did to others. They will get what they did to others."
Matthew 26:24. Matthew 26:24, Contemporary English Version, it says, "The Son of Man will die." No problem, no problem. The worst could happen to that person. He said, "The Son of Man will die, as the scriptures say." He said, "But it's going to be terrible for the man who betrays me." This was our Lord Jesus Christ speaking. He said, "That man will be better off if he had never been born." This was Jesus speaking. You know, if it was not Jesus, now we could have said this man was speaking with bitterness. I pray you will never be counted among traitors. You will never be counted among the treacherous. You will never betray your destiny partners. You will never betray your destiny helpers, in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus.